Tag: change

Own the story

FabrizioLeave a comment

The story you want to tell is under your control.

Of course, people might misinterpret, maliciously distort, simply not understand. And yet, at the end of the day, the story you are trying to spread (about yourself, your work, your product) is something for you to first figure out and then to consistently put out there. No matter your mood, the negative feelings, the bad beats, the facts of life, the injustice of the world, the obtuseness of others, the latest trend.

Sitting at your table hoping that others will eventually get it is fruitless.

Actually, it is most likely that by doing so the misinterpretations, the distortions, the misunderstandings will just keep growing out of proportion, until communication is no longer possible.

Always be deliberate in the way you tell your story, the seeds you plant with your actions, the way it translates in how you treat others. It’s the sole way it might eventually get through.

Illuminating

FabrizioLeave a comment

Often we keep things for ourselves because we believe they are trivial, unimportant, shallow, taken for granted. And so, we only speak when we believe we have the big insight, the great idea, the breakthrough.

This makes our working places fairly quiet.

Of course, we talk a lot with our colleagues, during coffee breaks and in open spaces, waiting for a meeting to start or as we queue at the canteen. But when the spotlight is lit on an issue, a project, a plan we refrain from speaking our mind unless we feel completely comfortable what we are going to say is flawless and smart (spoiler alert: it very rarely is!).

When the chance arises, be brave and voice your concerns. Tell about that thing they have probably thought about already, that check they have certainly done already, that scenario they most likely have considered already.

What’s trivial for yourself can be illuminating for others. That’s the nature of humans and their minds.

Responsibilities

FabrizioLeave a comment

As marketers, we have a responsibility towards our organisation and our customers. We want to establish a relationship that is meaningful and valuable for both sides, possibly one that lasts. And to do so, we often seek our audience in different channels, and eventually double down on the one(s) that proves to be better.

As human beings, though, we also have a responsibility towards our community. We want to contribute positively to it, possibly leaving it in a better state than when we first joined. There are different ways to do that, each one chooses those they are more comfortable with. But more often than not, we choose to participate, as pretending not to care and living on our own would feel quite alienating.

One can juggle the two responsibilities quite easily most of the time, perhaps even trying to build a narrative that makes the two outcomes match.

But it also happens that wanting to establish a meaningful relationship with an audience and positively contributing to the community become forces pulling in opposite directions. Think about pouring money into a channel that harms your community, that covers itself in good intentions, and that continues harming your community while increasing their profits.

When this happen, which of the two responsibilities should prevail?

The only way

FabrizioLeave a comment

With the amount of possibilities out there, with all the options one has to learn new things and reinvent themselves, it is very easy to get stuck.

It is the feeling of never being enough, the search for perfection, the impression to always need something more before actually getting going.

It is resistance.

Sit down instead and do the work. You’ll get better at it with time, better also at judging what to adjust, in which direction to progress, what else to learn, who to listen to. Doing the work is the only way.

Safe in the drawer

FabrizioLeave a comment

It is terrifying to show the work you’ve done.

They might not like it. It might be they think I am a fraud. What if there’s a typo I have missed? I have absolutely no authority to do that. Probably better if I give it another review. I can always publish it tomorrow. Everyone is so busy. Nobody is probably going to read it. After all, who cares? Is it really something important that I have to say? I might get fired for that. I look dumb in the video, I need another take. It’s not my best job. The concept I am trying to express is too weak. I am not a graphic designer, and the presentation looks dull. I’m not a native speaker, they’ll find out right away. They are crazy if they think I am going to do that.

And the most horrible of them all.

What if somebody likes it, and I have to continue …

On the other hand though, what good is it to keep that manuscript, that video, that drawing, that blog post, that article, that idea, that question safe in the drawer?